The Colorado Avalanche have signed a goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen due to waivers from the Winnipeg Jets, according to Chris Johnston of The Athletic. The Avalanche already have two goalkeepers in their luggage – Alexandra Georgiev And Justus Annunen – on their NHL roster. None of them are exempt from waivers, likely indicating that Colorado plans to sign three goaltenders. Colorado used both goalies in the season opener, with Georgiev allowing five goals and subbing for Annunen, who allowed two goals himself.

This is certainly a less than ideal start for the Avalanche's goalies, leaving the team without the veteran presence of Kahkonen, who has spent the last five seasons playing around in the NHL. His career began with the Minnesota Wild, who drafted Kahkonen in the fourth round in 2014 and assigned him to the AHL's Iowa Wild in 2018. He was drafted after two strong seasons as Iowa's starter, posting a whopping 31 wins and a .907 save percentage in 54 games and three seasons as a reliever for Minnesota. His consistency drew interest across the league, and Kahkonen was traded to the San Jose Sharks in 2022 along with a fifth-round pick as part of the deal that brought him to Minnesota defenseman Jacob Middleton.

Kahkonen continued to serve as a consistent backup in San Jose, recording 17 wins and a .892 batting average against the struggling Sharks defense. But with little success in sight in the short term, San Jose traded Kahkonen to New Jersey Vitek Vanecek at the 2024 trade deadline. Kahkonen was one of two strong goaltenders, along with Montreal, that the Devils acquired Jake Allenand therefore only played in six games for the club – although in those appearances he posted a .923 save percentage, the highest of his career.

Still, the Devils decided to stick with Allen's Stanley Cup-winning precedent and let Kahkonen sign a one-year, $1 million contract with the Jets on July 1. Besides him, he was one of three goalkeepers who made it into the Jets' squad Connor Hellebuyck And Eric Comrieand is now moving to a similarly crowded space in Colorado. He has posted a modest .899 save percentage in 139 career games and will look to provide relief if Colorado's goaltending continues to decline.